Winemaker's Notes:

Cabernet from this iconic 35-year-old vineyard always delivers power, structure and rich concentrated black fruit. This is a dense wine with great aging potential. Fruit is the star of the show for our Cold Creek Cabernet!

You’d be hard-pressed (just like the grapes!) to find a more influential winery than Chateau Ste. Michelle. It’s Washington State’s oldest winery, getting its start when Pommerelle Wine Company and the National Wine Company merged in 1954 to form the American Wine Growers. From there, they created a premium line of vinifera wines in 1967 called “Ste. Michelle ... Read more

You’d be hard-pressed (just like the grapes!) to find a more influential winery than Chateau Ste. Michelle. It’s Washington State’s oldest winery, getting its start when Pommerelle Wine Company and the National Wine Company merged in 1954 to form the American Wine Growers. From there, they created a premium line of vinifera wines in 1967 called “Ste. Michelle Vintners,” under the direction of Andre Tchelistcheff, which is where Ste. Michelle really took off. Their first vines were planted at the now-legendary Cold Creek Vineyard in Eastern Washington in 1972. When a French style chateau was built in Woodinville by Ste. Michelle Vintners in 1976, the winery finally became known as Chateau Ste. Michelle.
The terroir is very important for Chateau Ste. Michelle. Columbia Valley isn’t just important because they have over 3,500 acres under vine there - they love the land, and they even helped to make it recognized as an American Viticulture Area (AVA). Columbia Valley produces more Riesling than any other American region, and Chateau Ste. Michelle leads that charge as the leading North American Riesling producer.
Chateau Ste. Michelle is known for its award-winning Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, but it didn’t become great magically. They actually have two separate wineries, one for making whites, and another for making reds, which allows them to have complete control of the process. In fact, they’re so serious about the difference that they have dedicated winemakers for each color. While Bob Bertheau is their head winemaker who oversees all wine, Joshua Maloney oversees only the red wines, and Wendy Stuckey cares for the white. This allows Chateau Ste. Michelle to consistently create world-class wines that never fail to surprise judges.
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By this point, you have to admit that I'm consistent. I'm a BIG Washington red wine fan, and I think CSM OVER-delivers on the price to quality ratio. This is PURE Cabernet with minerality, oomph and finish. Buckle up!

The oak in this wine makes this a smooth and thoroughly enjoyable wine. I am surprised by the lower marks this wine has received, and I can only guess they were written before this wine reached its prime. By March 2011 this wine has quite a bit of sediment, and a bit of decanting will bring out the fruity flavor and prevent you from getting the grit that might otherwise result. The soft tannins and velvety feel of this wine tell me it is perfect right now in 2011. Admittedly, I think a Cab should have strong oak overtones, and this wine meets that requirement. I will certainly grab more of this vintage to consume in the near future. I would serve this wine at any occasion, from humble to most sophisticated. Regardless of the previous reviews, I think this wine is a winner, and I would highly recommend it.

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Hey guys (and girls): I just put this against the 2008 in a side-by-side, and WOW! What a difference!
Look for the 2008. In comparison to the new release (I just bought a case), the 2007 tastes sort of like a Franzia box.

Rating: 86/100 - As reviewed by Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine (www.cgcw.com) in the August 2010 issue. Starting off nicely with its aromas of black cherries with hints of dried currant, this one then drifts into an interesting bit of juicy, slightly berryish complexity and turns out to be a touch on the open, drink-me-now side in the mouth. Still, it has fruit, it has good depth relative to its asking price, and, bottom line, it is both tasty and widely available.Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine aging recommendation: Drinkable now. Unlikely to improve with further aging.

One of Washington State's rare Excellent values in red wines, the medium to dark ruby-colored 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon offers a delicate blackberry-scented bouquet. This juicy, medium-bodied Cabernet reveals appealing depth to its dark fruit and fresh herb-flavored character. A structured, well-balanced, firm effort, it will be its finest between 2002-2006.

A polished Washington Cab that's generous with its spicy blueberry and currant flavors. swirling in some pepper and cola notes for added dimension on the slightly chewy finish. Tannins can use until 1999 to 2000 to soften.

Cabernet from this iconic 35-year-old vineyard always delivers power, structure and rich concentrated black fruit. This is a dense wine with great aging potential. Fruit is the star of the show for our Cold Creek Cabernet!